Russian Pranksters Fool Fed Chair Jerome Powell in Recorded Call

Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell appears to have been pranked by Russian comedians Vladimir Krasnov and Alexei Stolyarov, who have previously targeted high-profile figures such as Angela Merkel and Justin Trudeau. The Fed said Powell had spoken to someone he thought was Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in January, but that the video appeared to have been edited and it could not confirm its accuracy. In the video, Powell praised Russia's central bank chief Elvira Nabiullina for managing the Russian economy amid Western sanctions. The Fed said it had referred the matter to law enforcement and no sensitive or confidential information was discussed.